To Catch a Star by Romy Sommer

Reviewed by Desere 

Ever hear about those types of princesses that are all ice and no fire at all? Yep me neither, for you see in real life the layers of ice are always hidden and in front of the public they are always sweet and kind and make us all wish we could be her.

In the latest read from Romy Sommer we meet Teresa Adler she is the ultimate Ice Princess, with a heart as frozen as the winter landscape of her beloved home, Westerwald, BTW don't you just love that name? It sounds so magical, and fits right in with this book, because magical it was !

Teresa has belonged to a inner circle of wealth, privilege and position all her life, and could definitely do with a little magic to unfreeze her ice cold heart. The magic comes in the form of Christian Taylor, heartthrob, movie star and bad boy! Always going against the rules he sets his sights on Teresa, the one thing he was told he cannot have.

But whilst Christian tries to get the woman he can't have , Teresa on the other side of the setup holds the ultimate clue to the secret of Christian's parentage, and with every touch she's comes closer and closer to melting at his feet and telling him all.

The main characters were both written very well and pretty darn close to realistic! Christian was as bad boy actors go written with perfection, bad-*ss, a little rude, too confident and strong and leading the pack, it was as infuriating as it was entertaining.

Teresa was a bit of a " am going to slap this woman over the head " character. I did not at all times agree with her decisions, yes I realized that this is probably the way it goes when one has a ice cold heart and then suddenly it starts to fill with feelings of joy and all the warm fuzziness, but more than once I just could not bring myself to agree with her down right stupid decisions , of course knowing this author always has a trick to it, I was eager to see just what she was up to and thus I was kept on the edge of my seat to discover what exactly lies beneath the ice princess's cold exterior, and when the moment does emerge it was just WOW did not see that one coming !

The backdrop settings were as magical as they were simply screaming romance and without a doubt more than once I felt as if I was right there seeing it all. I am taking away a special message of everyone has a reason for being bad or even frozen to the core, but there will always be someone that is able to crack through the layer of ice or even see the good hiding behind the bad, it's a matter of trust and understanding.

I recommend this read for all fans of fairy tale romance reads, a truly lovely afternoon escape into a world of princess find her prince which I know every woman out there dreams about every now and then, Romy Sommer has brought it life for us and believe me you don't want to miss this one!

5 star review

" He's determined to melt her heart, she's afraid to break his wide open" 

By my side by Wendy Lou Jones

Reviewed by Desere

Wendy Lou Jones has done it again! She made my cry so badly it felt like my heart was being ripped to shreds.

In her latest book By my side she tells the story of Lena. Lena catches her best friend in the act with her so called loving boyfriend, their betrayal does pretty much the expected number on her, she fails her exams and all goes downhill from there.

She does not take the best action on getting out of her current funk of unhappiness, because let's face it killing yourself is never the answer. She survives her suicide attempt and so begins her stunning journey of recovery and self discovery when a mysterious stranger comes into her life and tells her the remarkable tale of  Kate and Adam.

I loved this book very much, it reminded me of the Notebook as the author slowly but surly incorporated the telling of a love affair to Lena. I liked the idea that Lena was lost and felt so alone, definitely very sad but in the case of Lena hearing the love story of Kate and Adam is exactly what she needs.

The story of Kate and Adam was the lovely rollercoaster, please give me more kind. I could not turn over the pages fast enough to see why Adam is so sad, I had to know what happened to him in the past to make him so determined not to lose Kate. Kate was remarkable, a real fighter for what she wants but at the same time bordering on that typical " should I should I not take a risk" type of woman that I am sure most woman are, okay so I know we do it!

By the end of this book I was crying so hard I could not stop, I wept for Adam, I wept for Kate and I cried for Lena, both tears of joy and of sorrow.

I am taking away a message of life does sometimes suck, as in truly the " My life is over" kind of suck. But to give up will just mean that you let the pitfalls of life win, stand as strong as you can because somewhere out there is the place you are meant to be and the person you are meant to meet and be with.

I highly recommend this read for anyone that loves a good read about a story within a story. The author did a truly remarkable job of interweaving the lives of Kate and Adam with the life of Lena. A compelling, fascinating gripping, heartwarming read.

4.5 star review
" Love means never letting go" 

The Right Side of Mr Wrong by Jane Linfoot

Reviewed by Desere

All of us has a jealous streak that at the worst of times comes out of hiding and ruins a situation for us so badly that gracefully recovering from it,  is something that will simply never happen.

Even worse is afterwards when we realize we could have dealt with our jealously in a complete different manner and avoided a mess so much more shameful then when we accidentally exist the bathroom and along comes our undergarments on display for all to see!

In this new read from author Jane Linfoot she takes us into the world of Brando. He's rich, extremely melt my heart attractive but he his also cautions of gold diggers. So of course when Shea shows up single and hopeful he goes into full defense mode.

But when a little slip or rather breath of fresh air brings her underwear out to play, Brando cannot control himself. Only when he gets close enough does he realize he is jealous of her past relationship and no matter what he does he simply cannot get over it.

This read was fun and delightful at times and other times very emotional. The author packed great emotion into her characters and showed them both as lost souls each having this issue from the past that actually is not really that big of an issue but it's what hold them back from each other. For when placed into perspective it can be overcome and thus holding onto it only prolongs the despair.

I liked that the author gave each character a flaw , but that the flaws simply added to their uniqueness. Through the characters the author showed just how badly things can turn when we hang onto an issue from the past instead of letting it go and trying to stay open minded when facing a new challenge.

I am recommending this book for any fan of romance that likes love found stories mixed with that little something special by an author that will make you wan to throw up your skirts, show off your kickers all in the name of finding a love just as special as Brando and Shea.

4.5 star review
" Living on the wrong side of love has never been more beautiful" 

The Trouble with Mojitos by Romy Sommer

Reviewed by Desere

When I say the words pirates, Caribbean, legends and Tortuga I am willing to bet there is no one out there that will not immediately think Pirates of the Caribbean and the delicious always entertaining Captain Jack Sparrow!

But in the movies as we all know the romance does not work out as it should and for me I have always wished it ended a little more romantically then it did. Lucky for me there is the new magical and brilliant read from the very talented Romy Sommer.

The read starts off with the telling of how a pirate kidnapped a princess on the day of her arrival to marry a governor and how the governor made it is life's mission to hunt them down and reclaim his bride.

I am sure you will agree that this is a truly fascinating and very captivating opening scene, it gets even better, for years later this mystery continues when Prince Fredrick aka Rik is living in exile in the Caribbean drinking the days away to fill the emptiness his life has become, he is as good as a pirate hiding from the world, a world he once ruled.

It all changes when a breath of fresh air and shimmering sunshine walks into his life, her name, Kenzie. There to scout land for a pirate movie being filmed she hits dead end after dead end, she want to scout the Island of Tortuga but no one dares to go there, legend has it a governor once cursed the island after losing his bride to a pirate and no one wants to end up having to face the wrath of the Caribbean's most famous curse.

Rik is ready for some adventure and decides to help Kenzie, he agrees to take her to the forbidden island, it is here he discovers there is only one curse and it has nothing to do with losing his life but everything to do with losing his heart to a beautiful princess and suddenly all he needs is Kenzie, only Kenzie does not do royal bad boys , not for longer than one night that is.

The characters of Rik and Kenzie were both very well written and the author let their emotions flow so strongly it was if I could actually touch the heat simmering between then and feel the heartache bouncing from their past wounds.

I loved, loved, loved that the author let Kenzie be all about spunk and go get 'em and never be talked into doing anything you know you will not love! It showed that when we have a dream we need to go after it, if we follow someone else's dream we will never feel that we have reached our own and the wonder of what if will always linger.

I adored Rik from the start, yes in the start he is nothing but a ex prince and drunk as a skunk but even when drunk he had this certain mystery to him that immediately let me as reader know this is one hero that is going to go from bad to absolutely amazing in a very short time, I was not disappointed! I was also reminded how some things in life can seem like the end but in fact it is the start of a new and improved journey on the road to success.

The read also featured some very interesting secondary characters such as Rik's mother who is simply a woman that will do what every mother will do for her children, protect them against any and all harm, there was also the very comical and interesting room-mate to Kenzie, Lee who had me laughing out load as some of the most hilarious tweets, outrageous ideas and sayings.

The backdrop settings were absolutely exquisite! Crystal clear ocean, white sandy beaches, tropical flowers pure island magic and perfect setting for romance and good old fashioned legend! The author's dialogue use was a mixture of deep untouched emotion and heartache and crazy wild island fling romance, but she incorporated so many words of mystery with regards to the legend and the past of both main characters that it truly felt as if I was living the secrets.

It kept me captivated and wanting to learn more, with each page turned the mystery deepend and in the end it came to such a awesome ending it left me almost in tears that the read had indeed ended, I wanted it to go on and to learn more ! It was all just simply brilliant! Excellent work Romy!

The perfect telling of a legend blending with a real life romance, yes I realise the characters are not truly real life and the romance merely words on a page, but the author letting legend blend with a story that is definitely entirely possible and not just the stuff legends are made of made this read truly realistic, and I most definitely cannot wait for the author do it again and again and again !

I am taking away a message of those of us that keep secrets sometimes do so to protect the ones we love and we are not to judge the person for keeping the secret, we rather need to seek the beauty and true protection in the name of love of the secrets, it will show the person to you in whole new light. And never let the past hold you back, you never know you link to the past may be exactly what you need to steer you to a future of endless happiness.

I highly recommend this read for all fans of romance, it is was not simply a fairytale legend finding it's way into the world of romance but a truly wonderful new, fun and fresh look at just how fairy-tales can come true. Passionate, fun, exciting, exhilarating and fabulously SEXY!

5/5 * review

"He is the Prince every woman wants to be seen with but the bad boy pirate every woman needs" 

The Songbird & The Soldier by Wendy Lou Jones

Reviewed by Desere

Many woman have fallen in love with men who go off to war, some return but some don't at all, others return but are never the same either physically, psychologically or both. Which ever the case may be when these men do go to war it is not always guaranteed that the woman back home will wait for them.

She might seek comfort in the arms of another because she is lonely or in need of some affection and so many love triangles start. The questions of course is always the same which one will she chose if faced with the chance to have either one?

It is of course never easy , loving both and having to pick which one you would rather be with could always blow up in your face, if you chose the wrong one you can never go back to the other, no man simply takes you back because you chose another in his place , a broken heart never fully heals.

In this read from author Wendy Lou Jones this is the situation that always too sweet and so easily convinced Samantha gets involved in. She meets always-charm-their-pants-off Dean and he sweeps her off her feet and away from always-the-good-guy Andy.

Andy and Dean are both deployed to Afghanistan and like any other woman Samantha writes to her new found sweetheart Dean , but Dean never replies as he has far too many other hotter woman to entertain his thoughts, in a twist of fate Samantha's letter lands in Andy's hands and so starts a beautiful relationship, and upon Andy's R&R they fall for each other, life is bliss that is until Dean discovers the relationship and informs Samantha she is his everything, who will Samantha chose and who is lying about what?

The character of Samantha was great in the start however her being a bit of a pushover was irritating but with the charms of soldiers I could understand why she is like any other woman, let's face it no single woman in her right mind will turn down a hot soldier ! I did like that the author let Samantha blossom as a person as the read continued , it showed that as in real life people get trampled over but when we find the courage needed to stand up for ourselves we are indeed a unstoppable force.

The character of Andy was all kinds of real life hero sweet! Simply adored the man even when he was acting bad he was still good! I adored how the author let him bring out the best in Samantha and in his men when in command, that he has so much restraint when the timing calls for it also showed him as a soldier should be, in control and always ready to fight back.  He was a really, realistic character for me as reader and I was rooting for him from start to finish.

The author's backdrop settings were descriptive enough to allow me to picture the surroundings and scenes of war being played out, I could sense the fear and smell the desert heat. I liked the dialogue, it felt very real, as most of the wording is what I felt would truly be spoken in all situations that arise in the book.

I am taking away a message of all is fair in love and war but when love comes around and suddenly it is destroyed with doubts and lies , stop and think before you let go, dig as deep as you need to, find the real truth before walking away from the one person that is your everything, you never know they might never come back to you again.

I highly recommend this read for lovers of war related romances, it tells the story of love found and lost all through the trials of war. If however you do not feel like crying so hard that you simply cannot stop this read is not for you, it was a emotional roller-coaster of a read that had me smiling at one stage and crying the next, yes the people around me thought I had lost my best friend, the tears flowed that freely, this of course is the only sign you need to tell you that this book is one of the best! Excellent work Wendy!

5/5 star review

" She's his song through the battle of war" 

How to Win a Guy in 10 Dates by Jane Linfoot

 

Reviewed by Desere

Everyone we see around us has secrets of the never to be spoken of life changing kind. They keep them hidden deep inside their hearts and only bring out the memories when they cannot hold back the pain, but never in plain view of those around them, showing the world the box of the past will simply mean that they are weak. For once they made the mistake of a lifetime it not only changes them but forces them to harden their hearts in order to never get broken again.

In this read from Jane Linfoot we meet Millie, she likes being independent, she works hard for it and even though she is not completely independent she is as close as she can get for now, after all every day is a new start and she will get there in the end. The one thing that is more important to her than independence is remembering to never lose her heart to a man ever again.

She does not count on being blown from her horse by lager than  life, sex on legs, more delicious then chocolate take-me-to-the-stars-and-back Ed.  Nor does she count on him being so persistent in getting her to agree to go out with him. However with Ed's constant pushing she relents and the fireworks start, that is until she finds out Ed is not all he pretends to be, only how can she blame him for keeping secrets when she has one of her own ready to destroy any future they might have?

The character of Millie, was too awesome. Funny and feisty ready to kick butt with anyone who dares to tangle her shorts.  I totally adored how the author also let her vulnerability crack through the feisty front she keeps up, it made her realistic and reminded me that this is what we all do in real life, we build up the image in order to protect ourselves, not realising that in the long run it could destroy us. I was very intrigued by Millie from the start, the author made her mysterious and I simply knew that when the secret gets revealed it will be a good one and I was not disappointed., Jane you had me bawling my eyes out!

The character of Ed was rich, smooth and a sexy badboy ready to take you to heaven and drop you off over the cliff when he is done, you know you should not touch but afterwards you know you would be able to say "Wow what a ride!" even while crying your eyes out. I adored that the author lets him change throughout the read, revealing not only the real man he is capable of being but also the man he has always been.  I found his easy charm and always cracking a joke when the situation gets a little beyond his control simply delightful and loved him more and more with each page.

The backdrop settings were gorgeously incorporated by the author, I smelled the fresh air and during one scene it actually felt as if I could touch the moonlight being described. The dialogue was sweet, funny, sexy, sensual, emotional, passionate, heartbreaking yes, the list goes on and on, this read had the perfect mixture of it all!

I am taking away a message of pretence is always a mistake, be yourself always no matter the outcome in the end you will know you never faked your way through anything and always remained true to yourself, and along the way you might even find the one ready to accept you just the way you are.

I highly recommend this read for any and all fans of romance looking for a smart, funny sexy read. The read was filled with heat and emotion of the very best kind, a true explosion of the senses. The author has a brilliant fun and fresh approach at writing and I will definitely be seeking out more of her reads. Jane get back to writing right now!

5/5 star review

"The big bang theory just got sexy" 

eARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review

Your room or mine ? by Charlotte Phillips

Reviewed by Desere


A slime ball ex, lots and lots of wine and a emergency pep talk from the girls leads to blazing hot passion and a series of delightful events that had me laughing out load !

This is a new author to me and I was not expecting anything much as I will be honest, I had not heard fantastic things about this book! But WOW I was so amazed and entertained that I could not put this read down and read it in one sitting.

The author very cleverly incorporated the direction of a cheating ex pushing a girl into doing something she never thought she would.

A very short read, but fun and sexy, with words that flowed effortlessly. I highly recommend this read for anyone looking for something fun and fresh, the perfect Saturday afternoon read!

Well done Charlotte,keep them coming
4.5 star review

"Getting your heart broken give you courage to take a chance" 

Confessions of a Chalet Girl by Lorraine Wilson

 

Reviewed by Desere


Planning an adventure just to get away from the dullness that is her everyday life Holly signs up with her friend to go work at a ski resort as a chalet girl. Meet new people, learn to ski and try to forget her troubles at home.

At the last minute Holly needs to go alone and brave the cold so to speak. At the chalet girl initiation she however also needs to brave her attraction towards no one other than let-me-kiss-you-all-over Scott.

She is instantly attracted to the him, but soon discovers he is her boss and backs off. But Scott has other ideas, he knows he should not get involved with his employees but there is something about Holly he simply cannot resist and soon he temps her into his world of passion and sinful lust.

Holly succumbs, but as soon as she starts to really have fun and enjoy the passion Scott reveals his secret as to why she is to never lie to him as long as they are together. It is a secret Holly simply cannot accept and she takes off running, but her heart tells her to turn back only will it be too late or will Scott take her back in his arms?

The character of Holly was at first a bit irritating as she is so dull and plain, not quite the ice queen but more or less close. But as the read progressed she does become a lot more daring and her true personality shines through. I liked that the author lets her crawl out from her shell of insecurities and hold up's to become a little more care free and spirited.

But I will be honest her holding the secret against Scott made me want to slap her, as it just did not seem valid enough, it was as if she takes her past and slams it into Scott's face even after their deep connection.

I would have liked  the author to let her have a deeper understanding of Scott's fears simply because they had already at the stage of the secret being revealed shared a very deep emotional connection and thus she should have not made the leap into running away, but instead stuck around and tried to listen to her heart and not her head. So yes not a very likeable character but she does come around and the author showed that she is able to evolve when given the push.

The character of Scott, was one that my heart went to, his secret of not wanting any lies was completely understandable. I loved that he picks up on the connection of Holly being different from the other girls and that he protects her against harm.

It showed that he is in touch with his feelings as man even though he is able to have any woman he wants, he still chooses the deeper connection as oppose to the only sex with any woman seeing the $$ signs. I adored that he does not jump to conclusions but instead he tries to think before yelling.

The backdrop settings for the scenes were very romantic, from the sexy fireplace scene to the very interesting and fresh out door pool scene. The author created the perfect romance with snow all around to give the feeling of heat and passion blossoming in the cold.

The dialogue was sweet, sensual and emotional but also at one stage did a swear word or two pop up that I was not expecting in this read, and I had to take a moment to make sure I was reading the right book. It sort of ruined the emotional level of the read and I think the author could have done without it.

All in all a very nice little afternoon read, coming it at seven chapters. Quick and easy to read. I am taking
away a message of holding the past against your future standing right in front of you, is one of the biggest mistakes you might ever make. Listen to your heart, it is beating the out the route to happiness.

I know that the author is planning another read in the Chalet girl series, and am looking forward to see what she comes up with after receiving feedback on this read.

4 star review
"The flames of passion burn to melt the ice" 

ARC provided by Harper Impulse via Netgalley 

Sinfully Summer by Aimèe Duffy

Reviewed by Desere

Being seen as a party girl that does nothing more than jump in bed with every other guy, party hard all night long, get drunk and caught in awkward positions, can be a good thing if you don't care what the world thinks.

But if behind the party girl lifestyle there is actually a intellectual, hard working, longing for approval person, then that façade you are trying to upkeep to the outside is simply putting your own happiness on a back burner.

The new Aimèe Duffy read tells the story of Alexa, she is wild, crazy and totally free from caring what anyone thinks, in fact she reckons the tabloids hunting her down just to see what or who she does is or when she flashes her panties to the world, is completely boring and tiring, no one wants to read that, go find the latest pop star scandal already!

Yet, she also knows her reputation is important as heiress to her father's fortune, even if she refuses to touch it, she still knows she need to try and behave and stay out of the news for awhile. So she works hard to keep her company going but slacks off on the parting it up, well just a smidgen, after all she does not want to be completely boring!

But when she is dared to do a holiday dare by her two crazy friends she grabs it, she never backs out of a dare. Only the dare goes wrong and she finds herself face to face with in-my-arms-you-will-burn-hotter-than-the-sun Ric, and up to her ears in the scandal of the century.

The character of Alexia was fantastic! I totally adored this woman. She says what she wants, does what she wants and wears what she wants. A real kick-ass heroine! I loved, loved that she does not back down at anything Ric throws her way. I did however find her level of emotional disconnection to her father a bit disturbing and at first I thought her partying so hard all the time was a way to show him she actually does not care what she does simply because she knows it will tick him off. But as the author let her evolve I was delighted to find a completely different reasoning behind it.

The character of Ric, was dark ladies and I mean dark. The man has secrets and more secrets filled with layers and layers of regret. I loved how the author let me be able to pick up on the reason why he is so dark and his deepest darkest secret before actually coming right out with it. It made him mysterious on one level but also so much of a tortured hero on another I just wanted to wrap his delicious body up in my arms and comfort him.

I did however not agree with the guilt trip he puts himself on for his past, there are people in the world that does things far worse then he did. I agreed on some level it was acceptable but not to the point he takes it. However, the author played it up into the read so perfectly that it overshadowed my opinion and therefore gets a definitely yes from me, as being a great plot.

The backdrop settings were so romantic and delightful that if was if I could feel the sun beating down on me, smell the ocean and hear the music. The dialogue was classic Aimèe Duffy, romantic and sexy yet this time it was ramped up so much more, it left me tearing up and feeling emotionally drained!

The author let the conflict and sexual heat between Ric and Alexi build and build until it exploded with such a amazing bang it left me breathless and begging for her to continue, I honestly did not want this read to stop.

I am taking away a message of life is what it is, we all do what we have, bad or good no matter, we do what is needed to survive. But letting your past hold you back will be the one thing you regret the most. Stand up, face it with a smile and hope for the best.

A romantic, sensual, sexy heart stopping read, highly recommended for all fans of romance with a twist of fate and learning to live it up.

Note to the author, you had me at undergarments !

5/5 star review
" The most scandalous summer leads to the adventure of a lifetime" 

ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reviewed by Nancy Crocker

Sinfully Summer by Aimee Duffy

I love when a book grabs my attention in the very beginning, and this book does just that. On a dare from her two best friends, Alexia Green runs the halls of an exclusive hotel in Marbella Spain wearing only her underwear. This latest dare is about to bring her up close and personal with one smoking hot Enrique Castillo. In the limelight for all of the wrong reasons, this heiress has an ... I don't care attitude. I could not help but like Alexia's character, she seemed like a party girl "think Cindy's Lauper's song" girls just wanna have fun. But she is so much more than meets the eye. Loyal to friends, fun loving, organized, hard working and also running her own company.

Enrique "Ric"Castillo grew up in the slums of Spain after being abandoned by his own mother. Adopted by Maria and Antonio Castillo, he wanted to prove he is worthy to be made partner on the latest resort being built. But Alexia Green is a distraction he doesn't need or want. He fears her bad press will bring his tragic past to light. So he will keep her at arms length and use her to help plan his charity ball. The character of Ric has a very dark pass and I couldn't help but admire how he had come full circle. 

These two are instantly attracted to each other, and the sexual tension is forefront throughout the story. When they finally do hook up it is off the charts. I mean sizzling, the kitchen scene wowza! But soon a misunderstanding has these two at odds. While I enjoyed the story for the most part I did have a couple of issues. I thought Alexia forgave Ric way to soon. Also there was the overuse of the word "hormone or hormones" almost every time Alexia was aroused. And finally how often Alexia placed her hand on her hip when wanting to voice her opinion, which was often. 

I would recommend this book. You will find darkness, fun, passion, forgiveness and a HEA!

4.5/5 stars

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.